With the continuous advancement of food technology, the high nutritional and hypoallergenic properties of rice protein are gradually recognized by people, and it has become a major trend to develop it as a processing base for food or nutritional health products. This article provides an overview of the comprehensive benefits of rice protein.

The research on rice protein at home and abroad mainly includes food additives to improve the physicochemical function of food; natural thickeners and foaming agents as washing and care products; high-protein nutritional powders for special populations; biologically active peptides that meet specific functions; Active ingredients for health care; protein feed for livestock and poultry production; green and environmentally friendly edible film, etc. These technologies are closely related to the hydrolysis and modification of rice protein isolate (RPI).

01 Food Additives

Food additives are a class of additives that can improve the quality and color, aroma and taste of food. Appropriate molecular size and amino acid composition will endow proteins with certain physicochemical properties, such as solubility, foaming, and emulsifying properties.

Under the hydrophobic, flexible and disordered structure, rice protein is more easily soluble in water and concentrated at the gas-liquid interface, showing foaming and emulsifying properties. Used rice dregs as raw material, and obtained protein foaming powder with high protein content and good foaming performance through a series of technological processes such as desugarization, enzymatic modification with neutral protease, decolorization and drying.

In addition to enzymatic hydrolysis, chemical modification methods can also be used to improve the properties of rice protein. For example, adding Na2SO3 or SDS can relieve the aggregation state of protein molecules and present colloidal properties. The enzymatically hydrolyzed or modified rice protein has a wide range of uses in food production, such as stabilizing and thickening in liquid or semi-solid foods, and foaming in baked goods and candies.

02 Protein Supplement

Rice protein has become the preferred vegetable protein for nutritional supplements for special populations due to its low allergenicity and high nutritional value. Rice protein formula rice flour can be used for sensitive diarrhea in infants and young children; gluten-free rice protein is more suitable for people with wheat intolerance, allergies or celiac disease; rice protein concentrate can reduce the normal protein intake or the digestive function. When damaged, it can better supplement the body’s ability and maintain nitrogen balance; and can assist in the treatment of peptic ulcer, trauma, etc.

03 Functional Peptide Development

Modern research has shown that the amino acid residues in small molecular peptides are easier to digest and absorb by the human body than free amino acids. Amino acids in the form of small-molecule peptides can not only avoid transport competition, but also reduce the toxic and side effects of high concentrations of amino acids. The peptide transport system has low energy consumption and is not easy to be saturated, which makes the research of hydrolyzed protein products to obtain active peptides. Popular.

Active peptides in rice protein isolate can affect the expression of cyp4a and cyp2c, thereby improving the metabolism of arachidonic acid as an antihypertensive component. In addition, it can inhibit atherosclerosis in a mouse model of genetic high cholesterol and reduce the incidence. Rice protease hydrolysate has a wide variety of small molecule peptides with diverse functions. Such as antibacterial active peptides, cholesterol lowering active peptides, antihypertensive active peptides, antitumor active peptides, antioxidant active peptides, etc.

04 Protein Feed

Rice protein powder, a by-product of rice preparation of starch sugar, is an excellent feed raw material with high protein content, fast energy conversion, high digestibility, good palatability, good disease resistance, low antigenicity and amino acid balance. Adding rice gluten concentrate to aquafeed can not only improve the digestive performance of fish, but also control its excretion, thereby keeping the water clear and controlling water pollution.

Rice proteolysis can produce flavor peptides that can replace sodium glutamate (MSG), which can effectively mask bitterness, enhance feed viscosity and improve feed palatability, and can chelate trace elements and minerals, which can improve animal feed intake. At the same time, safety is guaranteed.